


Red

by imanadultiguess



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Emotionally Stunted Assholes, Jim as Rich Brook, M/M, One Shot, Rich Brook is playing Hamlet, is that what they call a drabble?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:48:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15605616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imanadultiguess/pseuds/imanadultiguess





	Red

He sees that single red dot burning against the shadows just behind the searing stagelights that obscures the audience. How the hell his smoking has escaped the ushers' notice, Jim will never know, but his sniper is a gifted thief/cheat/spy/sneak.

While his mouth muscles churn through the memorized lines of the bard's "Hamlet" his brain settles. He's fully present, ever the professional, really putting his all into this performance, but that red dot of burning cigarette makes his heart go all a-flutter, makes him feel like a boy with his first "Do you like me? Check yes or no" note.  All because his fuckbuddy has come to the mid-week showing of _Hamlet_ , starring Rich Brook.

Juvenile, really. Sweet, nonetheless.

He won't text him during intermission, won't tell him he's been spotted. Jim hates to show his hand, and his ill-bred pet detests being caught in those vulnerable moments of affectionate displays.

They'd danced around the issue for months, beginning with Jim's first offbook rehearsal. "I have comp tickets," Jim had offered. Sebastian had stared at him like a deer caught in headlights.

"Are you expectin' me to go?" Sebastian had asked later.

"You're a grown man," Jim had answered.

"Do you want me to go?" Sebastian had asked before opening night.

"Don't be absurd."

And it was true, Jim hadn't wanted him to come to the show. Such things were above Sebastian, truthfully. Pearls before swine. He wouldn't know what to do with a well-written play or a well-acted line if it hit him in the face. He was a classless type, Jim's typical bit-of-rough sort of shag.  Jim hates to waste art in all its forms, so no, he didn't want him to come.  

Even so, he broke character for the tiniest moment when he made out the red dot in the back of the venue.

And when the lights go off, when Hamlet reverts back to Rich Brook, when the audience has vanished and all the lights have been turned off, when Rich morphs back into Jim, he sees the single rose in his dressing room with the attached card.

_Not bad, boss. -SM_

Sebastian doesn't come back to the flat that night and Jim doesn't text him. Neither can appropriately deal with the feelings birthed from Sebastian coming to his boss's show. Sex would be far too intimate, kisses far too sincere if he showed up. Everything would mean too much. And really, this is all a bit of fun, nothing more.  

Jim wonders if boundaries have been crossed, if he made a mistake leaving a ticket for "Rich's boyfriend Severin" at the door just in case, if he should have Sebastian put down for smoking in the theater.

When Sebastian returns in the morning to make his boss's breakfast, they don't mention it. Nor do they mention the two red roses sharing a vase in the center of the breakfast table with the cards reading, " _Not bad, boss. -SM_ " and the other reading, " _I know. xo jm_ "


End file.
